Decorative fire extinguisher

ABSTRACT

A fire extinguisher including a receptacle for the fire extinguishing material and a ram type discharge mechanism concealed within a body having a decorative exterior surface, such as a vase, and adapted to be supported in an upright position upon a flat horizontal surface, such as a table.

United States Patent 1191 Gooch Mar. 11, 1975 [5 DECORATIVE FIREEXTINGUISHER 428,596 5/1890 Frear 169/33 1,741,326 121929 M N ll 222 386UX [76] Inventor: James Bartley Gmch, 2005 Rogers 2,085,446 611937 Philig e 222/386 St., Clearwater, Fla. 33516 22 Filed; 23 1973 PrimaryExaminerM. Henson Wood, Jr.

Assistant Examiner-Michael Mar [2]] Appl. No.: 418,478 Attorney, Agent,or FirmHarrington A. Lackey [52] U.S. Cl. 169/33, 222/386 1 1 ABSTRACT[5 l] Int. Cl. A620 11/00 A fire extinguisher including a receptacle forthe fire [58] Field of Search 169/2 R, 30, 33, 35; extinguishingmaterial and a ram type discharge mech- 222/386 anism concealed within abody having a decorative exterior surface, such as a vase, and adaptedto be sup- [56] References Cited ported in an upright position upon aflat horizontal UNlTED STATES PATENTS surface, such as a table.

329,309 10/1885 Harrison 169/33 6 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures DECORATIVEFIRE EXTINGUISHER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates toa fire extinguisher, and more particularly to a fire extinguishingapparatus concealed in a decorative body member.

Manually operated, portable fire extinguishers, and household fireextinguishers are well known in the art.

Also known in the art are fire extinguishers having decorative exteriorbodies or holders, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 299,318 ofAtterbury, U.S. Pat. No. 430,866 of Linn, U.S. Pat. No. 2,329,552 ofNelson, and U.S. Pat. No. 2,805,724 of Aprea.

However, none of the above extinguishers include an extinguishermechanism mounted permanently within a body member having an exteriordecorative surface and adapted to be held in one hand, while theextinguisher mechanism is operated by the other hand of the operator forextinguishing a fire, and adapted to rest in an upright position upon atable or other horizontal surface as a decorative article.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of this invention toprovide a decorative fire extinguisher which functions not only as aneffective mechanically operated fire extinguisher capable of beingrecharged indefinitely, but also as an attractive article of furniturecompletely containing and obscuring from view the fire extinguishingmechanism.

The extinguisher made in accordance with this invention is a ram typehaving a cylindrical chamber or receptacle for receiving the fireextinguisher material, and a handle and plunger reciprocal relative tothe cylindrical chamber for discharging extinguisher material from thedischarge end of the container. Completely encasing the container is abody having an exterior surface of aesthetic appeal and having a flatbottom end for support upon a horizontal surface to hold the body memberin an upright position. The top end of the extinguisher is recessed toconceal the discharge end and cap of the extinguisher receptacle. Thebottom end of the body member is also recessed to conceal the handle ofthe ram actuator. Retaining means are preferably catedwithin the lowerrecess for releasable holding the actuator handle within the bottomrecess so that the body member may be lifted from its horizontalsupporting surface without the handle member dropping out of therecessed bottom end.

The discharge cap is preferably threaded to readily engage the upperopen threaded end of the extinguisher material container for refillingthe chamber, and also for providing a constricted discharge spout forcontrolled distribution of the extinguishing material when discharged.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of theextinguisher made in accordance with this invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken along the line 2 2 of FIG. 1, illustrating thehandle in its inoperative and operative positions; and

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to the drawings inmore detail, the fire extinguisher, made in accordance with thisinvention, includes an elongated body or body member 11 formed of anyconvenient material, such as plastic or ceramic, into a shape having anattractive or aesthetically appealing exterior side surface 12. In FIG.2, the body member 11 is in the shape of a vase in which the sidesurface 12 is a surface of revolution generated by a reverse curve line,as disclosed in FIG. 2.

The body 11 is provided at its lower or bottom end with a flat baseportion 13 adapted to fit flush against the top horizontal flat surface14, such as a table top, in order to support the body member 11 in anupright vertical position.

Formed concentrically within the flat bottom portion 13 is a bottomrecess 15. Also formed concentrically within the top end of the bodymember 11 is a top or upper recess 16.

Connecting the bottom recess 15 and the top recess 16 is a verticalcylindrical hole 18, preferably formfitted or shaped snugly around acylindrical tube 19 defining a receptacle or chamber 20 for receivingfire extinguishing material 22, preferably in a dry, powdered form.

The bottom end of the cylindrical tube 19 is closed by a bottomcircularwall 23 larger in diameter than the tube 19 to provide anannular flange 24 adapted to seat against the upper portion of thebottom recess 15 in order to limit the upward movement of the tube 19within the hole 18.

The upper end portion 25 of the tube 19 is threaded and projectsslightly above the bottom wall of the top recess 16 for receiving athreadedly engagable cap 26 having a flat discharge spout 27. The cap 26is of slightly larger diameter than the tube 19, so that when the cap 26is securely screwed upon the threaded portion 25, the cap 26 will limitthe downward movement of the tube 19 within the hole 18. In other words,the tube 19 is held securely within the hole 18 by the annular flange 24at the. bottom and by the threaded cap 26 at the top.

By unscrewing the cap 26 from the threaded top 25, additionalextinguishing material 22 may be easily poured into the open end of thechamber 20 to recharge or refill the extinguisher 10.

The height of the top recess 16 is greater than the height of the cap26, or, in any event, when the cap 26 is screwed closed upon thethreaded outlet portion 25, the tip of the discharge spout 27 is spacedbelow the top rim of the recess 16, so that no portion of theextinguisher mechanism is visible from the side of the body member 11.

Within the cylindrical tube 19 is a vertically reciprocable, co-axiallymounted, ram or piston 30 fixed to the upper end of a rod 31. The rod 31is slideably movable within an opening in the center of the bottom wall23. The bottom end of the rod 31 is attached to a knob or handle 32 ofany convenient shape.

A portion of the rod 31 adjacent to handle 32 may be circumferentiallyenlarged at 33 to wedge between a pair of curved, inwardly directed,resilient -or elastic fingers 34 made of material such as spring metal.The outer ends of the spring metal fingers 34 may be rigidly attached tothe bottom wall 23 of the cylindrical tube 19, by soldering or otherconvenient means. As disclosed in FIG. 2, when the enlarged portion 33is seated between the curved finger tips 34, the handle 32 is maintainedin its upper extreme position within, and totally concealed by, thebottom recess 15. In this inoperative position, the handle 32 does notobstruct the seating of the base portion 13 upon the table top 14.Moreover, even when the extinguisher is lifted from the table top 14,the handle 32 is still retained in its recessed position.

It is also within the scope of this invention to employ a washer in therodhole in the bottom wall 23 for snugly, but slideably, supporting therod 31. Thus, such a washer would replace the elastic fingers 34 andenlargement 33 as a means for holding the handle 32 in its raisedinoperative position.

However, when it is desired to extinguish a fire, the operator graspsand raises the body member 11 with one hand, then grasps and pulls withhis other hand the handle 32 downward against the force of the resilientspring fingers 34, to release the handle 32 so that it may be retractedto a position such as that disclosed in phantom in FIG. 2. As the handle32, rod 31, and ram 30 are retracted, air is drawn into the chamberthrough the discharge spout 27 in order to fill the vacuum created bythe retraction of the piston 30. This air is then entrained, at leastpartially, with the pulverized fire extinguishing material 22. The top,open, recessed end 16 of the extinguisher 10 is then pointed toward thefire. The operator thrusts vigorously forward upon the handle 32 toforce forward the ram 30 to compress the extinguishing materialentrained with the air, so that the powdered material 22 discharges fromthe spout 27 in a rather forceful stream upon the fire. After the fireisextinguished, the handle 32 is returned to its inoperative latchedposition disclosed in FIG. 2, and the extinguisher 10 is again set upona flat horizontal surface, such as a table top 14, where theextinguisher 10 remains disguised as an aesthetically attractiveornament or article, such as the disclosed vase.

When desired, exhausted extinguishing material 22 may be replaced byunscrewing the cap 26 and refilling the chamber 20 through the openthreaded end portion 25. Cap 26 is then resecured, and the extinguisher10 is ready to again function as a fire extinguisher.

One advantage of forming the exterior surface 12 as a surface ofrevolution is that at any vertical point along the body member 11, thecross section is circular, and therefore uniform. Accordingly, in a fireemergency, it is immaterial from which side the body member 11 isgrasped, since the grip will be uniform regardless of the lateralapproach of the operators hand toward the extinguisher 10.

The fire extinguishing material 22 may be of any known, and preferablycommercial, type, such as ABC CHEMICAL designed to extinguish all firesof types A, B, and C.

It will therefore be apparent that a fire extinguisher 10 has beendeveloped, which will not only conceal the fire extinguishing mechanismin a decorative and at tractive manner, but which forms a unitary partof the decorative body member and which functions as a hand grip and apermanent housing for a rechargable, continuously usable, fireextinguisher.

It is also readily apparent from FIG. 2, that the fire extinguisher 10having a body member 11 shaped like a vase, or other decorativeornament, may hold and store the fire extinguisher and its chemical bymerely resting upon a flat horizontal surface, without any additionalattaching means, such as brackets, screws, or hangers, which mightdamage a wall surface upon which mounting devices might be attached, andwithout being in the way or constituting a household eyesore.

It will also be understood that the cylindrical tube 19 may be made ofthin-wall metal, such as aluminum or tin, or plastic, and the piston 30,rod 31 and handle 32 may also be made of metal or plastic or any otherconvenient materials.

The body member 11 is preferably of a moldable material which can beeasily and readily shaped about the cylindrical tube 19 and moulded toform the appropriates recesses 15 and 16.

What is claimed is:

l. A decorative fire extinguisher comprising:

a. an elongated body having a top end and a bottom end and anaesthetically appealing exterior side surface adapted to be held in onehand,

b. a chamber within said body having an upper open end, for receiving afire extinguishing material,

c. an upper recess in said top end,

d. a discharge spout connected to the upper open end of said chamber,

e. said discharge spout being received within said upper recess, so thatno portion of said discharge spout projects above the top end of saidbody,

f. discharge means within said chamber actuable to discharge saidextinguishing material through said discharge spout,

g. said bottom end comprising a flat base portion supporting said bodyin an upright position upon a horizontal fiat surface,

h. a bottom recess within said bottom end opening through said baseportion, and

i. manual actuator means normally within said bottom recess andoperatively connected to said discharge means for actuating saiddischarge means.

2. The invention according to claim 1 in which said chamber is anelongated cylinder, said discharge means is a circular plungerreciprocable within said cylindrical chamber, and said actuator meanscomprises a handle and an operator rod connecting said handle to saidplunger.

3. The invention according to claim 1 further comprising retainer meansfixed to said body for normally retaining said handle within said bottomrecess and above the plane of said base portion when said extinguisheris inoperative, said retaining means being releasable for drawing saidhandle from said bottom recess for actuating said plunger.

4. The invention according to claim 3 in which said releasable meanscomprises an enlarged portion on said rod, and resilient finger meansfixed to said body within said bottom recess for engaging said enlargedportion and sustaining said rod in an upper extreme position.

5. The invention according to claim 1 in which said exterior sidesurface has the shape of a vase.

6. The invention according to claim 1 in which said exterior sidesurface is a generated surface of revolution.

1. A decorative fire extinguisher comprising: a. an elongated bodyhaving a top end and a bottom end and an aesthetically appealingexterior side surface adapted to be held in one hand, b. a chamberwithin said body having an upper open end, for receiving a fireextinguishing material, c. an upper recess in said top end, d. adischarge spout connected to the upper open end of said chamber, e. saiddischarge spout being received within said upper recess, so that noportion of said discharge spout projects above the top end of said body,f. discharge means within said chamber actuable to discharge saidextinguishing material through said discharge spout, g. said bottom endcomprising a flAt base portion supporting said body in an uprightposition upon a horizontal flat surface, h. a bottom recess within saidbottom end opening through said base portion, and i. manual actuatormeans normally within said bottom recess and operatively connected tosaid discharge means for actuating said discharge means.
 1. A decorativefire extinguisher comprising: a. an elongated body having a top end anda bottom end and an aesthetically appealing exterior side surfaceadapted to be held in one hand, b. a chamber within said body having anupper open end, for receiving a fire extinguishing material, c. an upperrecess in said top end, d. a discharge spout connected to the upper openend of said chamber, e. said discharge spout being received within saidupper recess, so that no portion of said discharge spout projects abovethe top end of said body, f. discharge means within said chamberactuable to discharge said extinguishing material through said dischargespout, g. said bottom end comprising a flAt base portion supporting saidbody in an upright position upon a horizontal flat surface, h. a bottomrecess within said bottom end opening through said base portion, and i.manual actuator means normally within said bottom recess and operativelyconnected to said discharge means for actuating said discharge means. 2.The invention according to claim 1 in which said chamber is an elongatedcylinder, said discharge means is a circular plunger reciprocable withinsaid cylindrical chamber, and said actuator means comprises a handle andan operator rod connecting said handle to said plunger.
 3. The inventionaccording to claim 1 further comprising retainer means fixed to saidbody for normally retaining said handle within said bottom recess andabove the plane of said base portion when said extinguisher isinoperative, said retaining means being releasable for drawing saidhandle from said bottom recess for actuating said plunger.
 4. Theinvention according to claim 3 in which said releasable means comprisesan enlarged portion on said rod, and resilient finger means fixed tosaid body within said bottom recess for engaging said enlarged portionand sustaining said rod in an upper extreme position.
 5. The inventionaccording to claim 1 in which said exterior side surface has the shapeof a vase.